Reinforced and protective shirt-band.



S. P. SIMON.

REIIUEOEGED AND PROTECTIVE SHIRT BAND. APPLICATION FILED APR.11, 1912.

sgfigg Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

SAUL P. SIMON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REINFORCED AND PROTECTIVE SHIRT-BAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. io,1e14.

Application filed April 11, 191d. Eerie! No. 689,991).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAUL P. SIMON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reinforced and Protective Shirt-Bands; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Those shirts which close or button in the front, very frequently first show evidence of wear by 'the' neckband breaking away at the front edge or where the same-is connected to the body of the shirt, thus necessitating repairs, but in most instances ruining the shirt. It frequently occurs also that the front or closing ends of the neckband are torn out by the draft of the collar button tit) thereon, thus necessitating the renewal of the neckband, or rendering the article worthless, and usually where the-tearing out of the neckband occurs in this manner, the under fold (or that with which the base of the collar button is secured) is the one that tears first, inasmuch as the same lies in direct contact with the skin of the wearer, and is considerably affected by the perspiration constantly absorbed, and also may be affected to a greater or a less extent by the corrosive action of such perspiration upon the base of the collar button. Furthermore, as heretofore devised, the front or closing portions of the neckband have usually been so constructed that the base of the collar button contacts the neck of the wearer, and, if the collar button is metallic, discolors the neck and may even produce soreness or afford an opportunity for infection, as well as assist in rotting out theend of the neckhand.

More or less successful attempts have been made to protect the neck of the wearer from contact with the collar button at the back of the neck, and, for this purpose, the band is sometimes constructed to afford a pocket opening at the outer side of the shirt. This construction, however, is not adaptable for use at the front ends of the neckband, as the outward draft of the collar thereon, unless exactly fitted to the ne'ckband, would tend to strain such button pocket outwardly to open the same, thus rendering the appearance unsightly, and furthermore, such construction has proven applicable only in a lo cation such as at the back of the neck, where practically no draft or pull on the collar button 1s ererted when in use, while at the front or meeting ends of the neckband, the collar exerts a constant outward stress uponthe button, and consequently upon the ends'of the bands, while every movement of the wearer exerts varying, stresses, which soon prove destructive with any of the constructions heretofore devised.

The object of this invention is to so reinforce the front or meeting ends of the neckband of a shirt, as to greatly strengthen the same to extend the life thereof, and to afford a construction wherein the separation of the neckband from the shirt is practically impossible.

It is also an important object of the invention to afford a construction which practically precludes tearing out of. the button holes at the inner end of the neckbands, by so reinforcing the same as to afford a positive bearing, not only for the neck or stem of the collar button in the button hole, but as well for the rounded edge of the base of the button, thus distributingthe stress applied to the button over a large surface.

It is also an important obiect of the invention to afford a construction for the front or meeting ends of the neckband, affording a pocket opening at the inner end or fold of the neckband to receive the collar button and to' preclude the same at any time contacting the neck of the wearer.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure l is a fragmentary, front elevation of a shirt embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View,

showing the shirt open at the neck and turned outwardly to illustrate the construction. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation illustrating the reinforcement. Fig. 4 is a sectional View, showing the collar button partly in elevation.

[is shown in the drawings: The reference numeral 1 denotes the body of the shirt, and 2 the neckband thereof, the latter being secured to said body and opening at the front,

as does the shirt body, said body and band being connected in any suitable manner. The innerfacc of the neckband at one side of its meeting ends is provided with a strip of fabrig 3, which is stitched to said neckband from within a short distance from said end to and around said extremity and downwardly on the edge of the shirt at its -opening, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, said strip 3 afiording anL-shaped reinforcing member. Said strip 3 is stitched to the neckband and to the edge of the shirt body along its outer edge and also along its ends, leavlng its inner edge free, thus forming a pocket, said strip thus providing an L-shaped'reinforcing member. The reinforcing strip protects the neck at all times from contact with the collar butt0n, and reinforces the end of the 'neckb'and and its 'pointof attachment with the. shirt front, thus compensating for the shorter life of said neckband, due to absorption and wear. The neckband is protected around the button hole by the inner strip from moisture absorption, and hencev the same does not become softened or rotted to an extent to necessitate reinforcement. When the shirt-band is closed at the front by means of the collar button, the appearance is the same as with shirts heretofore constructed, and, of. course, inasmuch as the button pocket opensjinwardly of the shirt -instead of outwardly therefrom, as hezretofore, unsightly appearance because ofsucl pocket is impossible. A further important advantage is found in the fact that by reason of the L-shape of the reinforcement 3,

access thereunder is much easier than is the case with 'a straight strip sewed along-all but one edge, and the insertion or removal of the collar button is rendered much easier, as readily will be appreciated.

While I have shown my invention in a preferred form, it-is to be understood that details of construction and application may be modified, and I do not purpose limiting the patent to be grantedon this application, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art. I claim as my invention: The combination with a shirt body having a vertical opening, and its neck band, the latter having a buttonhole near the verti' cal opening in the shirtbody,'of an L-shaped fabric reinforcement stitched to said band and body at the inner side of the inner front fold thereof, said stitching connectingthe outer edge of said reinforcement to the outer edge of said band and the vertical edge of the body at said opening, the inner edge of said reinforcement being free to afiord a pocket to receive the collar button.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' SAUL P. SIMON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILL S, J r., LAURENCE REILs'rErN. 

